2016 Restaurant Spotlight: Trademark Taste & Grind in New York

Like on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on Google+

Share on LinkedIn

Pin to Pinterest

Share on StumbleUpon

+

A coffee bar in front, a bar and restaurant at the back! We were fortunate to get an interview with their General Manager, Matthew Rankin, to learn more about Trademark Taste & Grind and how they are bringing the unique taste to the bustling concrete jungle of New York.

Matthew: Trademark Taste & Grind, at the heart of midtown Manhattan, is a concept that brings craft cocktails, comfort food, homemade pastries, and Brooklyn coffee to the bustling concrete jungle of New York. The space officially opens this week and features a front coffee bar, Trademark Grind, that leads down a hallway into a back bar and restaurant, Trademark Taste.

A boutique coffee bar, Trademark Grind is offering a simple, delicious, and unpretentious coffee program. The bar will be the first in Manhattan to ​serve roasts from​ Greenpoint, Brooklyn’s​ Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters​ and is proud to feature ​one of only 18​ MAVAM-UC2 Machine​s in the world, producing consistently delicious drinks. The coffee will also be paired with a ​daily selection of homemade pastries​.​

​Through the back hall, ​Trademark Taste is a New American restaurant, serving excellent quality cocktails and thoughtful comfort food. ​The menu, created by IGCH Culinary Director Chef Jeffrey Haskell​, highlight new favorites, such as the Burrata & Knots (homemade burrata and garlic knots served with tomato jam and roasted garlic) and Tuna Poke (avocado, macadamia, crackers), alongside signature classics, like the 20 oz. Ribeye (black garlic, honey-plum, crispy yukon) and signature TM Burger (bacon, jalapeño jack, fried pickled onions, special sauce). The​ ​dishes will be paired with a cocktail program designed by Pamela Wiznitzer (The Seamstress, The Gilroy, Belle Shoals), including a signature coffee cocktail made with Sweetleaf Coffee Roasters.​ ​

Dining Area of Trademark Taste & Grind Restaurant in New York

FE: Are there any Awards you have received? Any you’re particularly proud of?

Matthew: Trademark Taste & Grind just opened a few months ago, but the very talented Pamela Wiznitzer created our cocktail menu. She has won many industry awards and competitions and is nominated for American Bartender of the Year at Tales of the Cocktail this year.FE: What is your restaurant philosophy? Is there something that everyone strives for with each action taken at your restaurant?

Matthew: One phrase that we’ve used, from the very first day of training, pre-opening, is “One Team, One Dream”. Every single person here, from the dishwasher, to the service staff, to the General Manager, and extending to ownership, is working toward the same goal: To give our guests an exceptional experience.

We want every single person that joins us, at Trademark, to feel welcomed, well taken care of, comfortable, and secure in the thought that their food and drinks will be of the utmost quality. We also want our guests to rest assured that if we happen to fail at any of the above stated goals, we will do our best to rectify the situation at once

Matthew: The Tall Order. Its a perfect summertime drink. The Mezcal adds a nice hint of smoke to the Reposado Tequila and Green Tea. Plus, it’s got Tiki Bitters. Who doesn’t like using Tiki Bitters?

The Tall Order Cocktail Drink from Trademark Taste & Grind is the perfect Summer drink!

FE: What makes you stand out above the rest?

Matthew: The decor is fantastic, the food is amazing, the cocktails are top-notch, and the “hidden” nature of the space makes Trademark a great sanctuary, away from the hustle and bustle of Herald Square. But the one thing that makes us stand out? The staff. The people that work here are fantastic. They’re all genuinely good people, who work hard, and care about what they do.

FE: Do you offer any deals such as happy hour specials, brunches, etc?Matthew: We offer at Business Lunch on weekdays which is $21 for 2-courses and we also have a Weekend Prix-Fixe which is a 3-course dinner for $38.